Performing Arts

Performing Arts is an integral part of the curriculum at Kew Primary School. It allows the children to extend fundamental values and often relates to the inquiry units explored across the school. When rehearsing and performing, students extend and consolidate their knowledge of:

physical movement and coordination with Dance and coordination whilst playing musical instruments

essential public speaking skills through drama activities

mathematical skills with rhythm and beat such as figuring out the duration of sounds in rhythm

the beauty of language and poetry and the magic of how words are woven into song

historical descriptions of people’s lives throughout history and how music influenced them

higher order thinking which allows students to think and create in complex patterns, question their own and others contributions in group performance and enables them to improve and make their performance the best they can.

Classroom Music, Dance and Drama

Classes at Kew Primary School have Performing Arts for 60 minutes per week. (Half the classes attend Visual Arts for one Semester and then swap with Performing Arts for the next Semester). During this time the children explore tuned and non-tuned instruments, accompanied and unaccompanied Song, Dance and Drama activities. The emphasis on all activities throughout each level is based on individuals using their learnt skills and contributions to combine and demonstrate teamwork and cooperation.

Choir

Choir is offered to all students across the school. There are two choirs which operate once a week during lunchtime. The Junior School Choir consists of students from Prep (Foundation) to Year 2. The Senior School Choir consists of students from Year 3 up to Year 6. Teamwork is an essential component of both choirs and the enthusiasm and dedication the students demonstrate is exceptional. Both Choirs enjoy performing to their parents and peers during assemblies and other school functions whenever possible.

Recorder Ensemble

Recorder lessons are offered to all students from Year 2 to Year 6. Lessons are held one day a week for 30 minutes during lunchtime. Students learn the fundamentals of recorder playing such as holding the recorder correctly, covering the holes, gentle blowing and the various notes.

They also learn to read musical notation, understand beat and rhythm and learn how to play as a group.

Band Ensemble

Students from Kew Primary School who participate in the instrumental music program delivered by ‘Creative Music’ lessons in the Music Pod and also students who learn an instrument outside Kew Primary School are able to audition for the Band Ensemble. The Band Ensemble meets once a week for 45 minutes in the Performing Arts Room with one of the teachers from Creative Music as the conductor and the Performing Arts Teacher as a support teacher. Students learn to play various pieces of music focusing on both part playing and whole group performance.